Brenda Reid 8/20/23 Brenda Reid 8/20/23

Dark Valleys, Divine Protection

“Even though I walk through the darkest valley,” Psalm 23:4a

(location, progression)

Dark valleys. We don’t like them; we wouldn’t choose them, yet, most of us have encountered them at some point in our life. The King James version calls it “the valley of the shadow of death”. It could be the physical death of one we love or maybe it’s the death of a dream, a passion, a project or career, it may even refer to dying to ourselves so we can live for Christ. The valley of the shadow of death means there is a deep loss that is present and abiding.

But look at the wording in Psalm 23:4…the valley of the shadow of death. We only see shadows when there is light present. The fact that there is a shadow in the valley tells us there is Light in the valley with us. The Light of God shows us that death is just a shadow- it is powerless to harm us eternally. Jesus conquered the power of sin and death. “I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.” Revelation 1:18. There is nothing Satan can do to separate us from the love of God and from His protection. “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39

So, although death is inevitable for everyone, it’s not our final destination as believers and we need to cling to that truth. Death, for the believer, is a doorway to the eternal life that God intends us to live with Him in perfect shalom relationship.

Yet, the valley is there and it’s likely we’ll walk through it, perhaps many times while on this earth. But take note of that other phrase, “even though I walk through”. Did you see it? We’re not staying. We’re walking through. The darkest valley isn’t where we settle. It’s not where God intends for us to stay. We don’t put down roots there. We travel through with our Shepherd by our side. It’s a temporary location for us, but not where He intends us to dwell.

Oh how we need to be reminded of this! How our sons and daughters need this encouragement to help them to trust and obey, to follow without faltering, especially through the dark valleys. Jesus endured death so we wouldn’t have to- He conquered death so we could live a victorious life! He walks through the dark valley with us so that we will be reminded that His presence is our light and our assurance. Psalm 56:13 “For you have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.”

“But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead; he will surely take me to himself.” Psalm 49:15

Let’s pray today that our sons and daughters have perspective and assurance when they encounter dark valleys.

“Jesus, You are the light of the world. What a comfort and assurance that is in this dark world. It is so easy to be overwhelmed by the evil that surrounds us and feel as if we’re going to be overcome by it. But You told us that, “whoever follows You will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). I pray that (name) would cling to that Truth. Help (name) to love light more than darkness and to follow after You with all of their heart, mind, and strength. Keep them walking faithfully alongside You in the right paths You choose- even if they lead into dark valleys. Lord, I know You walk with them, remind them of that. Let (name) see visible affirmations of Your Presence today and assure them that wherever You lead them, You will be Present beside them, walking with them through the hardest of times and places. Remind them, too, that the darkness is not where they live. The dark valley isn’t their home. You will lead us out of the valley, You will reach down and rescue us from the deep waters (Ps. 18:16). Lord Jesus, I pray that whatever (name)’s location is, physically or spiritually, that You would give them the strength to move forward, not turning back or to the side and sustain them to endure whatever You lead them to, assuring them that You will, indeed, lead them through it. “The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid?” Ps 27:1 I pray Your mighty protection over (name), in Jesus’ name, amen.”

”I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4b

(companion, confidence, protection, support)

I will fear NO evil. None. Not even just a little bit, not some, but NO EVIL. How can we be confident of that? How can we encourage our sons and daughters when we’re surrounded by evil in this world? We see it everywhere and it can be overwhelming.

The first thing to remember is that second part of the verse, “I will fear no evil, for You are with me”. God is ever-present and all powerful. He will never leave us or forsake us - those are the very words He used to encourage Moses and Joshua. “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6) Our God is faithful. It is in his nature and character to be so.

Remember, God has not given us a spirit of fear ...so if we are struggling with fear, where is that coming from? Ah, there it is! The enemy! Ephesians 6:12 says “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

As God shepherds us, He is strong to lead, protect, and save. He’s not just a general who sits in the war room- watching from afar while we fight the battle. He’s not just the captain on the battlefield, seeing only the fight in front of him. And He’s not simply the ‘special forces’ sent in to complete an extraction when things are dire. He is everything we need at all times surrounding us completely and holding us up through it all. He holds fast the spiritual boundaries that keep us safe. He is the strong arm that pulls us out of deep waters and dangerous pits, the sword and shield that hold off the enemy who would try to drag us away. “You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.” Psalm 139:5

We have unrivaled protection and support from our loving God. We will fear no evil! Let’s pray that our sons and daughters do not live in fear, but would have confidence that God is with them always, watching, caring, protecting and saving.

Let’s pray scripture over our sons and daughters today:

“The LORD is (name)’s light and their salvation— whom shall they fear? The LORD is the stronghold of (name)’s life— of whom shall they be afraid? When the wicked advance against them to devour them, it is their enemies and foes who will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege (name), (name)’s heart will not fear; though war break out against (name), even then they will be confident.” Psalm 27:1-3

Abba, Father, Almighty Lord, I pray Your word over (name).

(Name) “Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.” Psalm 37:1-2

Lord, give (name) strong spiritual confidence in Your protection and watchful care.

“The way of the LORD is a refuge for the blameless, but it is the ruin of those who do evil.” Proverbs 10:29

Keep (name) walking and living blamelessly. Guide them on right paths for Your name’s sake. Keep them faithful to You and protect them from fear and from the enemy.

“Therefore, (name) put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” Ephesians 6:13

“But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen (name) and protect (name) from the evil one.” 2 Thessalonians 3:3

I pray that (name) would “Fear no evil- sin and death are conquered” Revelation 1:8

Give name strength to stand against the evil one and to live in victory through Jesus, in His name I pray, amen.”

Pray without ceasing, friends.

Brenda Reid 11/29/22 Brenda Reid 11/29/22

A willingness to pray “God, do what You must.”

If you’re a parent, you’re a ‘fixer’. It’s what we do. Whatever the situation, we’re always at-the-ready to find a solution, make it better, fix what is broken or soothe what is hurt. We hate to see our kids in pain or dealing with hardship. Our hearts hurt to know that they grieve or struggle. When we see it, we jump to try and fix it.

Yet, sometimes we can’t fix it. It’s not that we don’t want to, it’s that we’re unable to. That’s a hard place to be, isn’t it? When our son or daughter is going through a hard time, it’s difficult to watch and we want, more than anything, to make it better. But sometimes it’s beyond our ability. And if our son or daughter is running from God, we can’t change their heart or bring repentance. That’s something only God can do. No matter how much we desire it, we cannot ‘will’ them to change.

We become like the little child, bringing the much-loved broken toy to our Father saying ‘fix it’, ‘heal it’, ‘make it better’. But sometimes the situation and damage requires intervention that is difficult to watch and painful to endure. We don’t want our son or daughter going through pain- we’ve spent our lives working to spare them from it! We don’t want to see things get worse- our entire prayer directive has been that it would be made better.

It’s akin to someone needing a heart transplant. The hope for life and health lie in getting a new heart. But it’s not that easy. First, a new heart must come from a donor, someone who lost their life and was willing to donate their organ to be a life-saving opportunity for someone who is dying. Then, the patient must be willing to undergo extensive transplant surgery. They’re surgically opened up and their old heart is removed and the new one is put in place. It is radical, painful, and dangerous. But the hope for life overrides the fear of pain and the anxiety about the procedure. And the hope for life requires that the patient undergoes the painful process.

Friends, the prodigal has the same need. They need a new heart. Their current heart is damaged and diseased. Their situation will surely lead to death, perhaps not a physical death, but a spiritual death looms.. The enemy laughs and takes delight in the slow demise and the sure destination that a prodigal life assures. The process required to remedy this direction and destination means the prodigal has to die to themselves and be willing to allow the Lord to give them a new heart to remedy the damage that’s been done. It’s a painful process. It’s difficult to watch and we know what needs to happen. But it’s excruciating to see our son or daughter go through difficulty, pain, and suffering. But when we’ve done all we can and there is still no change, we need to step back and allow God to work.

Friends, are we willing to pray, “God, do what You must”?

Are we willing to pray, “God, do what you must”? That’s a hard prayer. It’s an anguished prayer. It’s a prayer of surrender, acknowledging that the rescue is beyond our ability to achieve. This prayer requires that we not interfere with what God chooses to do. We have to squelch the urge to rush in and rescue, to mitigate the painful consequences, to redeem the bad choices, to make it better, because really, we won’t make it better, we’ll only prolong the process. When we truly turn our son or daughter over to God to work as He wills, it is the ultimate act of trust. It’s trusting Him that He can parent them better than we can. It’s trusting that our God loves them more than we do. It’s trusting that His ways are higher than our ways and that He is the only One who can effect change and redeem the wayward heart. It requires full surrender on our part to achieve surrender in their heart.

It requires full surrender on our part to achieve surrender in their heart.

“God, do what you must, and help me to trust You.” It’s a prayer of surrender. Here’s another question…if we’re not willing to pray that prayer, are we fully surrendered to the Lord? Do we love Him more than we love our son or daughter? Do we trust Him enough? It requires some introspection into our own hearts and attitudes. It’s a peeling away of those things we’ve trusted other than the Lord. It’s a purifying of our own faith. We must be willing. But we can be honest with God, too, and tell Him how it scares us, because that prayer does bring fear of what may come. But, brothers and sisters, He is Lord of what may come. We need to rest in His goodness.

“God, do what you must, and help me to trust You.” Continue praying that prayer. Every moment, every day. Breathe it out. Remind yourself that God is Sovereign and He can do whatever He wills. He WILL do whatever He wills. We can either accept and support it, or fight it and be miserable. We must trust the Great Physician. He is able to give the prodigal a new heart and a surrendered spirit. Ezekiel 11:19 “I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.”

“What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish. Matthew 18:12-14

Today, write out a prayer of surrender and trust to the God who is able to do more than we could ask or imagine. He spoke all of creation into existence. He subdues nations. He rules over every power and principality. He can turn a heart of stone into a heart of flesh, tender and surrendered to the Lord. Trust Him. Ask HIm to work mightily and to show you that He is working and moving. Remember, His timeline doesn’t mirror our own, but He is Lord of the clock, Lord of the calendar and Lord of the one He created… He loves the prodigal and longs to see them return. Trust Him.

God is not done working!

Pray without ceasing, friends.

Brenda Reid 11/18/22 Brenda Reid 11/18/22

Psalm 145: 17-21

17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made.

Lord, You are righteous, yet You love us, sinners condemned by our sin. It’s an example for us, who follow You, that we too can love others even if they don’t know You or follow You. They are image bearers and as such, we need to love them- how will they know? How can they see the love of God if we’re not willing to live it out in front of them?. Help us, Lord. Help us to love those who are ‘different’ than we, who do and say things we don’t like or approve of. Help us to know that by loving them, we’re not condoning what they do. By loving us, Lord, You are not condoning our sin, but You love us in spite of our sin. Your kindness leads us to repentance. Father, I pray that (name) would learn how to be loving to others and by loving them, show the power of God and the change it can bring in a heart and life.

18 The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.

Father, You affirm that You are near to all who call on You, convinced without a doubt, that You will hear and answer. They trust and know that You are not indifferent or disconnected. You are faithfully present and supporting us even before we ask. I pray that (name) would believe without waffling or wavering that You are faithful and True and when (name) calls on You, You will answer and be near. I pray that (name) would understand Your trustworthiness and see Your faithful steadfast Presence in each day and night, in each joyful moment and dark season. Lord, You ARE near to all who call on You in truth. Thank You.

19 He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them.

Just as we heard the cries of our children an ran to help them, You hear our cries. You save us, Lord, even when it seems like there is no way out, You make a way. “Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them. He led them by a straight way to a city where they could settle.” (Ps 107:6-7) Lord, I pray that (name)’s heart desire would be refuge in the shadow of Your wings and a place in Your house that is their own, a belonging, a provision and a dwelling in Your Presence. Lord, lead them to a city of refuge because they fear You. Let (name) cry out to You today Lord. Direct their eyes, their heart and their plea to Your throne room where You hear and answer abundantly. Fulfill (name)’s desires in a way that brings glory and honor to Your name and that draws them nearer to You. Hear their cry and save them, Abba Father.

20 The Lord watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.

Thank you, Lord, for Your watchful care. As a parent, our eyes were always watching for danger and seeking to protect them. But now that (name) is an adult, I can’t do that any more. I have to trust…I have to trust You that You will watch over and protect (name) so much better than I ever could. I pray that (name) would love You. Stir a deep desire in (name)’s heart and mind to run after You with all they have and are. Help them to see this world is temporary and the titles and promotions, the gadgets and trappings will all rot. But their heart…oh their heart is the most valuable thing they have and they need to ensure that it’s properly and rightfully invested. Please, Lord, let them invest themselves in Your kingdom. Let them surrender all they are and have to You. Don’t let them be counted among the wicked. Oh how we love them, but Lord, we know, unless they surrender to You and are counted as Your child, Your saint, Your beloved, unless that is their identity, they are among the wicked. Lord, it hurts our hearts to think that. Show us fruit, Lord! Watch over (name) and guide their steps so they remain faithful to You. If (name) doesn’t know You as their Lord and Savior, I pray that even today You would bring another believer into their life who would speak truth and share the life-giving hope of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Lord, I pray that (name) would confess with their mouth and believe in their heart that Jesus is Lord (Rom. 10:9). Lord, watch over (name) today and do a work in their life. I believe. I know You can and will. Bring fruit, Lord.

21 My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD. Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever.

Oh, how I love You Lord! My mouth is filled with Your praise. My heart is overwhelmed by Your goodness and I want to share that joyful praise with others. I want to know that (name) is filled with joyful praise for You. May it overflow and cause them to wonder and be amazed at how praising You brings contentment, fulfillment and joy. Lord, to know that every creature will praise Your holy name is humbling. Today give me moments to sit outside or gaze out the window at Your creation and ponder what the praise of creation for You might look like When the trees sway in the breeze, are they praising You? When the birds sing, are they proclaiming Your greatness? We can’t know, but Lord, Your Word tells us that if we don’t praise You, even the very rocks would cry out in praise of You. (Luke 19:40). Creation knows its Creator. Help us to know You more and more and to live in a way that reflects that knowledge to others.. May the generations of my family praise You and carry on a commitment to follow after You for all their days, no matter what may come. May our lives exhibit praise for Your holy name, always and through eternity. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Pray without ceasing

Brenda Reid 6/27/22 Brenda Reid 6/27/22

The Decay of Sin & The Master Builder

1 John 3:2 “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.”

Have you ever taken time to look at an abandoned house…I mean really up close? They can look rather intriguing from a distance. But the closer you get, the more you begin to see the decay. Windows might be broken out, letting the weather inside. And if the weather gets in, everything starts to decay. What once was a beautiful home, filled with love and life, becomes a shell, rotting from the inside out.

It’s kind of like sin. Sin takes a toll, doesn’t it? Oh, we start out sturdy, solid and beautiful, but the effects of steady sin weathers us. Sometimes the choices we make and the lives we choose to live wear us down over time and leave us battered and worn. The inner beauty we once had gives way to rot and ruin. Sin does that to us.

The window in the picture once framed a beautiful room. It protected it from the elements, yet it also let the light in so that the room was filled with the golden rays of the sun. And at night, in the darkness, it shone from the inside out so all could see its warmth and beauty.. But at some point, those living there left. Then, that window broke and what was once a barrier to the elements and a protector of the beauty within no longer worked. Now instead of a beautiful room, the glass is broken and lying on the ground, the curtains are shredded and the room inside is ruined by the elements. The floors and walls are weathered with rain and it is no longer a place of love and shelter.

There are so many analogies we could use. But, suffice it to say, we’re a lot like those houses, aren’t we? Oh, we may only leave our ‘window’ open but a crack, yet the weather of sin gets in and it slowly begins to destroy. It might not be much at first, but after time, it’s catastrophic. Even a small opening is enough for the Enemy to slowly creep in and begin to erode our foundation. Sin ruins. It ruins heavily, destructively and it’s not easily recovered from. We might not see the effects right away- that’s another deception of the Enemy. But the slow, steady influx of sin begins to rot our inner beauty into a dark, joyless heart that is in desperate need of God’s righteousness. Our holiness departs. We squelch the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit and we slowly decay.

Look at the picture again… and look through the window not at the room, but back out the other window to the sky! You can still see the light of day- not darkness! It’s a fresh new day on the other side of that window! You can see hope! You see, despite the decay happening inside, each day there is a new morning that surrounds this house.

Though it would take time and would come at a cost, this window and this room could be restored. God sees through our brokenness and provides redemption and restoration for anyone who asks! You see, God isn’t in the business of ‘redecorating’, He fully rehabilitates and restores. He renovates and brings us back to life. He sees the wreck that we are right now and the beauty that we will be once we allow Him to work in us.

Do you look at your son or daughter and see how their choices have caused damage and decay with the effects of sin? It hurts our hearts because we know what they once were and we long to see that inner beauty restored. But right now, all we can see is how the enemy has wreaked havoc. The disease of sin and selfishness has stripped away the beauty and left a mess. You know they ‘know’ the Truth, yet they’ve chosen to open their lives to everything else, and it shows.

Friends, be brave enough to see through the damage and believe in what God can do! He is the Master Builder! Just as someone who comes along and begins restorative work on that abandoned house, there is hope when God begins to work on us! We only see the house as it is now, but you know the Builder is at work and oh! It will be beautiful again!! Friends, that is how God can restore a life. Pray to that end. Trust in His skill. He’s the Carpenter. He’s the Creator. He’s the Great Physician. He can do artful work on even the most devastated life. He is Faithful and True and what He promises, He will do. “He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”” Revelation 21:5

Prayer for Restoration:

“Father, I pray in Jesus’ name that You would begin a restorative work on (name) today. Lord, bandage their spiritual wounds, clean out the damage in their life. Evict the things that don’t belong, tear out the rot and ruin and rebuild their life to reflect Your glory. I know (name) is made in Your image, but right now, they don’t reflect that. Lord, do a work in them. Renovate their heart. Restore their mind. Holy Spirit, I pray that You would sanctify them to obedience to Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:2) Lord, bring repentance and follow it with abundant grace and peace. May the joy of the Lord be (name)’s strength. Help (name) to forsake all others and follow You solely, completely, wholeheartedly. Lord, I know that You can do a work unlike anything I could ask or imagine. I pray that You would restore (name) today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

Prayer for Protection:

Lord, I pray for (name) today. I know they love You, Lord. But I also know that as believers, we are all a target of the Enemy. Lord, I ask that You would do some maintenance on (name) today. Seal up any ‘cracks’ in their character or their life that would allow the enemy to get in and cause destruction. I pray that they would put on the full armor of God: the helmet of salvation to protect their mind from spiritual attack; the shield of faith to deflect the fiery darts of spiritual warfare; the sword of the Spirit to defend against attack; the belt of Truth to guard against deception and lies; the breastplate of righteousness to guard their heart from deception and from temptation that would lure their love away from You; and feet shod with the gospel, so that their life, their words and their actions would be a testimony to others (Ephesians 6:10-18) . Help them to live without compromise and to daily take stock of what they choose to watch, read, and listen to so that nothing sneaks in and begins to weaken and destroy. Lord, I pray that you would guard them from ‘sneak attacks’ by the enemy. Make their foundation solid and their protection sure. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

Do you have a loved one who needs prayer? Feel free to reach out! Leave a comment or send an email. There is an army of sisters in Christ who are ready and willing to pray along with you!

Pray without ceasing, friend. And believe that God can restore a life!

Brenda Reid 11/29/21 Brenda Reid 11/29/21

Sharing Your Treasure

I Peter 3:15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,

When our kids were little, it’s likely they had a ‘treasure’ in a box or special spot somewhere. If it was a recent ‘discovery’ or acquisition, they probably kept it close. They were eager to show us and would maybe let us touch it, or even hold it, but it quickly came back to them for safe keeping. They guarded it carefully because it was precious to them. They would excitedly tell us all about it and their eyes would sparkle with excitement. It may have inspired them to learn more about that item and to seek out knowledge, whether in books or the internet, to find information that would help them understand it even better.

Oh, that’s what Jesus should be to us, friends- a treasure that we hold close but are excited to share with others!. Our relationship with Him should be our most precious possession that we guard carefully but want others to enjoy, too! Our eyes...and our lives, should sparkle with joy and light, enough that others will want to know what we have and how they can have it too! Our love for Jesus should compel us to want to know HIm more and learn His word so we can understand Him better.

As time grows short, we must be diligent to pray that our sons and daughters know and pursue the truth of Christ. Today, let’s pray that our sons and daughters have this precious relationship and an eager desire to learn and grow in their faith. Let’s pray they have a living hope that compels them to share Jesus with others gently and respectfully and that they are ever ready to give an answer for that hope they hold. Pray they are salt and light.

Pray without ceasing.

Brenda Reid 11/14/21 Brenda Reid 11/14/21

Sunday Worship-Nothing But the Blood of Jesus